Canadians are coming together to confront a severe wildfire season, driven by rising temperatures and dry conditions. It has already had devastating impacts in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario.
Today, the Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, Eleanor Olszewski, joined by the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Tim Hodgson; the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Julie Dabrusin; and the Minister of Indigenous Services, Mandy Gull-Masty, delivered the latest assessment of the 2025 wildfire season.
Minister Olszewski reported that, as of today, there are 225 wildfires in Canada and 121 of them are still out of control. The total area burned so far this year is over 3.7 million hectares. And thousands of firefighters are working tirelessly to contain these fires.
On evacuations, the two Requests for Federal Assistance (RFA) made by the Manitoba government on May 28 to support the Pimicikamak and Mathias Colomb Cree Nations were completed with the help of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). The RFA from Ontario made on June 7 for the evacuation of Sandy Lake is also complete.
These successful operations were the result of the CAF, provincial counterparts, and non-governmental organizations working around the clock to help the evacuees, find them shelters and fight the fires.
Wildfires are causing widespread damage to communities, ecosystems, infrastructure and air quality, posing serious risks to public health and safety. As climate change continues to influence weather patterns, preparation and public awareness have never been so important.
